A conventional menu screen proposed to improve operability of user interface includes a two-dimensional arrangement of a plurality of function icons and a plurality of media icons.
[patent document No. 1] WO2005-109157 pamphlet
Manufacturers of games develop a variety of game software and attempt to introduce new games to users by distributing trial versions of software free of charge as well as advertising their products through TV commercials or the like. Many game devices recently available are designed to store game software in a large capacity storage such as a hard disk and allow users to enjoy the installed game without a game disk. These game devices also allow users to download game software from a virtual game shop on the Internet. Attempts are made to distribute trial versions of software from a virtual game shop and gain new users.
When a user likes the trial version of software, the user purchases the product version via the Internet and downloads the product. Therefore, the user has to download the software twice, i.e., the trial version and the product version. Various steps for purchase that should be gone through in a virtual game shop force users to experience hassle. As the trial version and the product version of game software are stored in the storage of the game device in a duplicate manner, the storage capacity is wastefully consumed. Since icons of executable game software are displayed in a menu screen of the game device, the icon of the trial version and that of the product version are both displayed, resulting in less user-friendly interface.